Never Forget
by Kaglen
Summary: A slightly different take. Written in 1996 without foresight!


"We all made it then." Stated Goniff.

"It appears so." Actor glanced around the assembled group.

"Didn't think I would recognise you after all these years and in this crowd, but I knew you straight away." The tall Italian and Casino exchanged a look of amusement at the Englishman's comment before Casino moved away to join Chief who was gazing out at the scene before them.

"Amazing how much you can see isn't it." The Native American simply nodded his head in reply. The two men then stood together in companiable silence, comfortable now in their proximity though there had been times when they had antagonised each other to the point of brawling.

"Still keeping watch Chief?" Garrison asked quietly.

"Uh-Uh" The Indian nodded and half turned towards the speaker. A smile flickered across the officer's face.

"Hey Warden!" Casino grinned broadly and shook hands with his former commander. "So, you stayed with the military. "What's this? Full bird Colonel." He pointed to the two silver eagles on the man's uniform. It was Garrison's turn to nod.

"Knew you'd do well in the army." Chirped Goniff.

There was a short silence during which they each took stock of their colleagues from times long past. Then, moving as one the five men grouped together, initial greetings made, any awkwardness quickly faded, each man now wanted to know how life had treated the others during the intervening years.

"What happened to you Goniff?" Garrison asked the wiry blond.

"Oh, not much really. I went straight."

"We all did." added Chief quietly.

"I'm glad to hear it." The officer sat back, relaxed and content in their company.

"You did get married didn't you?" The ever inquisitive cockney pressed on with a question.

"Me?" Actor raised an elegant eyebrow. He'd had many lady friends over the years but no long term partner. His life was comfortable and he'd been content without a wife.

"Nah! Not you, the Warden. I didn't think _you'd_ get married." The Italian smiled to himself, Goniff was still the Goniff he knew. Garrison waited for the banter to die down, some things never change and yet everything was so different.

"Yes, I married in 1945 and my wife and I came to your wedding in '48."

"You did! Sorry Lieutenant, - er - I mean Colonel. I must have forgotten."

"You were too nervous to remember being introduced." Casino said, amused by the expression on his English friend's face, he turned to the officer. "Is your wife here?"

"Yes, she is," Garrison's blue/green eyes softened, "and yours?" He glanced at each man.

"Yeah!" Chorused to two men.

"Busy looking up old friends." Added Goniff.

"I'm here alone." Chief's voice was barely audible. "My wife will join us later."

The other four men nodded their understanding, then all five began to talk, bringing each other up to date with events in their lives. The conversation was easy and relaxed, hours slipped by but they seemed to have been together a lifetime. Darkness fell softly as they talked.

"Quite an occasion, isn't it?" Goniff's blue eyes were serious.

"A new Millennium, yes I think you could say that." Actor watched the gathering crowds as the final hours of 1999 ticked by. The men sat in comfortable silence allowing thoughts, memories and hopes to pass into their minds. Goniff was first to speak again.

"Would you change anything with hindsight?"

"Ah! Hindsight is a wonderful thing, it isn't everything though." Actor continued to watch the people around them, all enjoying themselves, eating, drinking, dancing and preparing for the concert. "What they really need is foresight and that's impossible."

"I thought Casino was the cynic! Nobody can see the future."

"You are right Goniff but there are ways to prepare for it. I cannot help but feel a certain sense of disquiet."

"Come on, it's a new Millemum - er - thingy. You have to look towards the future."

"As long as we don't forget the past."

"Blimey, what a Killjoy."

"Not at all I like to think I am a realist. Look at it this way, there are about 10.000 people in that arena, there are 10,000 graves in just _one_ of the cemeteries in Flanders."

"Yes but..." The blond grimaced as Actor raised his hand and continued.

"Let me finish, millions died during the First and Second World Wars. Thousands in Vietnam, if they weren't killed outright they were _Missing In Action_ or bore the scars physically and mentally for years. Then there was Korea, The Falklands War, Bosnia, The Gulf Conflict."

"Actor, people are sick of war," Goniff said earnestly, "the dawn of a new age should mean we put all that behind us."

"The men on The Somme were probably 'sick of war', those incarcerated in camps like Belsen and the soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians who lost their families and their homes must all have been 'sick of war' too. It's so easy to say and it smacks of complacancy, we must never forget the price they all paid and continue to pay."

Goniff looked around the silent group of men, as each considered Actor's comment, the man certainly held very strong views. The Englishman eventually broke the silence.

"So when we remember, how would you like to _be _remembered? What about you Warden?

This was a question Garrison had been asked many times and his reply was always the same. A half smile tugged at his lips but his eyes held the pain of sorrow and of loss when he answered.

"Simply as someone who fought for peace."

"It's almost time." Said Chief softly.

They all stood and tried to find a good vantage point.

"Wow, it's a bit scary." Casino's dark eyes scanned the scene before them.

"For them or for us?" Goniff shot a glance at his friend.

"For them, you dumb Limey, what can hurt us now?"

The final seconds of 1999 ebbed away and the world waited in excited anticipation for the long awaited dawn of the new Millennium. The tension was almost tangible, hope and expectation reached out across distance and time to the peoples of all nations. Amid the noise and celebrations there were, however, those who prayed for peace, those who sat alone, those who cried and those who feared. What would the year 2000 bring with it?

In a tiny cemetery an elderly lady placed a single bloom next to a simple white stone, the child holding her hand looked up.

"Who is it Nana?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know Darling. I come here to say 'thank-you' because whoever he is, he died so that we could live. You must always remember that, _always_."

The inscription on the stone became clearer.

A soldier of the 1939-1945 war – known unto God

"Hey, that's our war," whispered Goniff, nudging Casino, "it could have been anyone of us lying there."

"We all made it though." Replied the dark haired man solemnly.

"Where's she going now?" Blue eyes tracked the lady's progress as she walked slowly between the rows of white stones. She paused by the side of another grave, a grey marker lay flat against the green sward, she bent to place another single bloom.

"Nana, what does that writing mean, I can't read it."

"It says there is another soldier buried here. The writing is in German, that's why you cannot read it."

"Was he on our side?"

"No, he was just a young man who fought for his beliefs or for his country, he too needs our remembrance."

"Are the Germans our friends "

"Yes they are, unfortunately there are other enemies now?"

"Who are they?"

"We don't always know Darling. We just have to stop war, any war and we can try to do that by remembering those who died for us."

There was a short silence, the little girl frowned as she looked around. Row upon row of stones stood in silent tribute to those who had paid the supreme sacfice. She clung to her Grandmother's hand and then tugged gently to attract her attention.

"I don't like war Nana."

Garrison looked away from the scene, turning his gaze onto his four companions, not exactly close friends but men who had shared much more, men who had shared the worst of times that somehow brought out the best in people. He had not sought them out for a few years, though there had been opportunity. This time it seemed important to see them again, the world and its past were moving on quickly. He'd had a good life, a happy marriage, four children and a distinguished career with the US Army, some had not been nor would be that lucky.

"What are you thinking Warden?" Actor's voice broke into his thoughts.

"About life."

"And death?" Asked the other man. Goniff turned, a question sprang to his lips but for a few moments he fought it down, however, curiosity won in the end.

"How did you get here then?"

Garrison held the Englishman's blue gaze for a long minute. The years fell away to 1943, to a time when the very existence of each of the five men depended upon the actions and skills of the other four. Slowly the images of World War Two faded and he found the events of Korea foremost in his mind, another leap forward brought him to 1972.

"I came in through South East Asia, through Vietnam."

There was a stunned silence, statistically at least one of the group should have died in the Second World War but they all survivied. The fact that Garrison _had_ met his fate in war seemed particularly cruel even though he was a soldier. The officer watched their faces and struggle to accept the information, he reached out and touched Goniff lightly on the shoulder.

"I was just doing my job, remember."

Nobody spoke, each man needed a few minutes to be alone with thoughts and memories of times that had faded into history. Below and all around them the world celebrated, a new beginning; a New Year; a New Century; a New Millenium.

"Will they be all right?" Goniff broke the silence.

"I think so." Chief and Casino spoke together.

"I hope so." Actor sounded less sure.

Garrison continued to watch the celebrations January 1st 2000. He'd had his life, new generations held the responsibility now, he could not think of anything to say because there was so much. A quote from George Santayana, an American philosopher came into his head, one he believed in, he smiled gently to himself knowing that Actor would approve, but his eyes were serious when he spoke.

"'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'"


End file.
